PROLOGUE: Flower in the Morning

College year was not I thought it will be due to the pandemic. I started my college a year before the pandemic lighten up.

I'm Nathan C. Fernandez, Born on February 28, 2002. So apparently, I'm 20 years old and turning 21 tomorrow. I'm at my 2nd Year and at my 2nd Semester.

People started noticing a big change to me, and it is only because of the course I'm taking. B.S. Architecture. It was tough and an agonizing journey. People find me gaining so much weight, having lack of care to myself. Tinitigyawat, tadtad ng pimple marks, etc... Well maybe because I didn't love myself. Kasi pinapabayaan ko na yung sarili ko. I'm torturing myself into studying hard and not caring about my health.

Masyado akong nakikinig sa puna ng iba. I should stop thinking about that.

I live a simple life in an apartment with my fellow roommates. I have a hobby on gardening and crafting arts. I usually do comics reading but ended up putting 99% of my time to study during the every semester. Which is a pure torture kaya yung 1% is yung pagiging pilyo ko into reading even just 1 chapter of my novels and mangas.

Ever since my childhood, I have the passion within the performing arts but I'm reluctant on joining an event or auditioning to an entertainment like in K-Pop industry for I find myself not fitting in their beauty standards. It's a big step for me if I took that path kaya I always end up stopping myself from joining those.

Puno ako ng pambubully noong kabataan ko palang and that made me love myself even less. I grew up filled with judgement and I know mali ang ginagawa ko right now that I'm old. Siguro dahil instead na balewalain ko sila, ay isininama ko ito sa aking paglaki. I grew up not bullying the others dahil alam ko how painful that is.

I'm a poetic person so forgive me if bigla akong naging Dr. Jose Rizal or William Shakespeare sa kalagitnaan ng pagdadrama ko.

Enough with the drama.

By the way, my school is a prestigious one and many things are happening here. I don't know how I end up in this academy but it has a great reputation and I got a scholarship, so I took the chance.

Not to brag but I'm a top student since grade school and I stand as a role model to other people. I show how determined I am when studying to inspire others. Lagi akong nanalo sa mga contests. Kaya siguro ganun nalang kadali na makilala at mapansin ako ng maraming tao at ganun-ganon nalang kung punahin ako ng iba.

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*school bell rings*

My Sophomore life felt like a Junior life dahil kakaumpisa lang ng face-to-face class namin. People are still overwhelming to look at kapag nadadaanan ko sila. Gladly, my classmates and I bonded well together during the pandemic.

"Hi!"

"Nathan, let's have lunch together."

My two friends/classmates/boardmates, Angeli and Jhenry, kakakilala ko palang sa kanila. They're nice and fun to be with. People at my school are rich and if not are scholars like me. In their case, they are both rich people.

"Okay."

I smiled.

Jhenry pokes Angeli's shoulder.

"Angeli-"

Angeli smacks Jhenry's head. "It's An-je-lai." He corrected Jhenry in pronouncing his name.

"Itatanong ko lang sana if may lunch ka na ba or order nalang tayo via food delivery?" He then pouts.

This friends of mine are so very close together that made me wonder if they're boyfriends.

"Hey, Shen! Would you like to join us?" Ask Angeli.

IT'S SHEN! *blushes*

This guy is a famous student here in our Academy kaya halatang dumog ng mga matang nakatitig at pantasya ng maraming tao. Hindi siya top student but he has so much things to do in school dahil part siya ng isang committee. He won Mr. Crystal in our pageant here and also won many pageants and contests. He's my idol and I always admire him. I could not even believe na makakasam ko siya ngayon. It is because my two friends suddenly got close with him through school project na sila ang magkakasama.

"Sige ba!" He then smiled.

Fudge!!! He's so handsome!!! Those round brown eyes! I wish I could be like him.

Nathan! Wake up! Don't get overwhelmed like you always do! But he's too much for my eyes to see. He's my idol! H-He is... Somewhat my male crush. Am I gay? I'M NOT GAY! I just admire him. How did I got lucky to be near him.

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We all go out together and eat at the bench in the garden. The air is fresh. The shades from the trees are in the right angle to cover us. The people passing by us kept staring at Shen. Not gonna lie. Shen is indeed handsome by the way, he is mix race. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay galing siyang Korea but he was born in China. He does not know how to speak Filipino so it's a language barrier from him to the people here. They said he is fluent in Mandarin, Korean, Nihongo, French and English. He transferred in this Academy because of the high standards the school is giving. Oh! I also remember na ang kuya ni Shen ay isang Kpop idol kaya hindi nakakagulat na ganyan siya kakilala. I really do admire him. Just staring from him is already overwhelming. That is why I alway keep my head down to avoid eye contacts.

He is kind and peaceful. Like a flower in the morning that blooms with benevolence.

"You barely ate your food." Shen, said.

AAAACK!!! HE NOTICED ME.

*flustered*

"Oh, sorry." I then look down and continue eating faster.

*literally dying inside* Kalmahan mo Nathan. He's just a human like you don't get too overwhelmed.

FUDGEEEEE! Stopping acting weird baka matakot sila sa'yo, Nathan! HAHAHAHA!

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We finished eating and head back to class. My friends kept poking fun at me dahil daw ang tahimik ko bigla. And Shen... He's just chill and going with the flow.

I wanna be like Shen. He is my inspiration into becoming better. I want to bloom like a flower in the morning. Giving people good vibes and making their days. Like Shen.

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